Parkinson's Laois comeback

Frank Roche
– 05 January 2011 03:00 PM

COLM PARKINSON has made a dramatic return to the Laois set-up, two years after retiring from inter-county football.

The veteran forward, 32, has been part of their early-season panel under new boss Justin McNulty and could even feature against his former boss, Wicklow's Mick O'Dwyer, in the O'Byrne Cup this Sunday. While McNulty has yet to finalise his official squad for 2011, Parkinson's early involvement is the most intriguing development given that most fans had presumed he had played his last game at this level.

The former All-Ireland MFC winner hasn't played for Laois since their '08 qualifier defeat to Down. He subsequently transferred club allegiance from Portlaoise to Parnell's, and he's now reportedly considering a return to his home club.

However, Parnell's chairman Frank Gleeson told the Evening Herald: "Certainly, from my perspective, there has been no decision made by Colm in that regard. If he is considering it.

"It's probably in light of the fact that he has gone back into the (Laois) panel. He works in Dublin so he would be commuting," added Gleeson.